Drinking vessel

ABSTRACT

A drinking vessel is disclosed which channels aromatic vapors of the beverage to the nose of the drinker. The vessel has a generally barrel-shaped body which has a bottom, a belly and a top, along with a front and back. An opening at the top of the body extends upwardly along a plane from the front of the body to the back of the body at an angle α. The diameter of the belly is greater than the diameter of the vessel at its bottom or at the opening of the body. When provided with a handle, the vessel serves as a coffee cup. Made of glass without a handle it serves as a spirits glass. When provided with a stem it serves as a wine glass.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority and is a continuation of provisional patent application No. 61/397,046 filed on Jun. 7, 2010 and design patent application Ser. No. 29/389,378 filed on Apr. 11, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the field of drinking vessels, and in particular an improved coffee cup and other drinking glasses which engage a drinker's sense of smell while drinking the beverage.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

Various prior art cups and glasses have included features to enhance effects of the aroma of the beverage. None, however, provide as complete an involvement of the sense of smell while drinking a beverage as experienced with the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention a coffee cup is described which includes a coffee holding vessel having a generally barrel shape. The vessel has a bottom, a belly and a top. An elliptical shaped opening is provided at the top. It is elliptical in shape because the opening extends from the front of the cup at an angle to the back of the cup. In particular the opening is formed along a plane extending at an angle α from a line extending from a front point of the cup parallel to the bottom of the cup, to a back point of the cup. Since the cup is barrel shaped, the maximum diameter of the cup, at the belly, exceeds the diameter of the cup at the bottom and at the opening of the cup.

The barrel shape and the angled opening away from the front of the cup maximize the aroma of the coffee as it is being drunk. The barrel shape provides increased coffee holding capacity and, at the belly of the cup a greater surface area for coffee vapors to emanate. The barrel shape and the angled opening have the effect of funneling or channeling the fumes from the coffee to the drinker when the drinker sips his coffee and promotes the engagement of the drinker's nose with the coffee.

The back of the cup extends higher, relative to the drinker, than the front of the cup. Since the back of the cup maintains the barrel-shape it curves inwardly, all of which helps to direct aromatic vapors to the drinker's nose.

In the case of a coffee or tea cup, a handle is provided at one side of the cup. The present invention is also applicable to other drinking vessels besides coffee. For example, the present invention can be used for glasses for brandy, scotch, bourbon and other alcoholic beverages. It can also be used for wine glasses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of an improved coffee cup in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the right side of the improved coffee cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the left side of the improved coffee cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the improved coffee cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a back view of the improved coffee cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the improved coffee cup of FIG. 4

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the improved coffee cup of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention as a spirits glass.

FIG. 9 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention as a wine glass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Human sense of smell is many times more sensitive than our taste buds. The “nose” or aroma of any number of beverages is often touted as one of the joys of drinking some beverages. Recently there has been a great interest in premium and exotic coffee with a corresponding interest in the appreciation of coffee aroma while drinking coffee. So it is an object of the invention to enable a user's nose to become a more active participant process and therefore create a more enjoyable drinking experience.

FIGS. 1-7 illustrate a coffee cup 10 which embodies the present invention. The coffee cup has a body or vessel 11 which is generally barrel-shaped. It has a bottom 12, an opening 14 and a wider belly portion 16 in-between. As used in this application barrel-shaped it is not intended to be a perfectly shaped barrel. Rather, as show in FIG. 3, by barrel-shaped it is meant that the maximum diameter of the coffee cup at its belly 16, d₂, exceeds both the diameter d₂ of the coffee cup at its bottom 12 as well as the diameter of the coffee cup d₃ at the opening 14. Diameter d₃ is shown in FIGS. 2 & 3 as a line extending from a front point 18 at the front 20 of the coffee cup, parallel with the bottom 12 of the cup.

The opening 14 extends from the front 20 of the cup to the back 22 of the cup. Dashed lines 24 complete an outline of a full barrel-shaped vessel. This can be seen in FIG. 2. The opening 14 can be viewed as lying in a plane extending from the front point 18 to a back point 26. The angle of this plane relative to d₃, parallel to the bottom 12 of the vessel, is angle α. This gives the opening 14 an elliptical shape. A handle 28 is provided on a side of coffee cup 10.

The larger diameter d₂ of the belly of the cup, the angle α of the opening 14 and the inwardly curving back 22 of cup 10 all cooperatively function to channel the aromatic vapors to the drinker's nose while drinking the coffee. The barrel shaped belly of the cup provides a large reservoir and surface area for the evaporation of coffee vapors. The effect of the angled opening extending from the front of the cup to the back of the cup is to capture and channel the vapors to and around the drinker's nose to fully engage the drinker's sense of smell while drinking.

The coffee cup 10 is made from any suitable material such as fired clay or ceramic materials. In the preferred embodiment the angle α is approximately 20 degrees. In another embodiment the angle α is approximately 24 degrees. A range of approximately 18 degrees to 22 degrees provides a suitable angle of the opening 14. In a preferred embodiment the diameter d₁ of the bottom is approximately 2 inches, the diameter d₂ at the belly, and the widest point of the cup, is approximately 3¾ inches, and the diameter d₃ at the front point 18 of the cup is 3¼ inches.

In the embodiment described the height of the cup from the bottom to the front point is approximately 3% inches and the height to the back point is approximately 4% inches. The length of the opening 14 as measured from the front point 18 to the back point 26 is approximately 3½ inches.

Of course a coffee cup of the present invention may be made of any size while incorporating the principles of the present invention. Nor is the present invention limited to drinking coffee. For example FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the present invention as a glass 10 ¹ to drink spirits such as scotch, bourbon and brandy. Such a glass has no handle. FIG. 9 shows a wine glass 10 ¹¹ which has a stem 30 and a base 32 extending from the bottom 12 of the vessel 11. Typically both the spirits glass and wine glass are made of glass.

There has been broadly outlined more important features of the invention in the summary and in the detailed description above. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based readily may be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important therefore, that claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensions, relationships, or operations as described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed as suitable without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like. Therefore, the above description and illustration should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims. 

1. A coffee cup comprising: a coffee holding vessel having a generally barrel shape and having a bottom, a belly and a top; an elliptical opening at the top of the vessel formed along a plane extending at an angle α from a line extending from a front point parallel to the bottom, to a back point of the vessel; a handle on one side of the vessel; and wherein the diameter of the vessel at the belly exceeds the diameter of the bottom and the diameter of the vessel at the line extending from the front point parallel to the bottom.
 2. A coffee cup as in claim 1 wherein the vessel is made of a ceramic.
 3. A coffee cup as in claim 1 wherein the angle α is approximately 20 degrees.
 4. A coffee cup as in claim 1 wherein the angle α is approximately 24 degrees.
 5. A coffee cup as in claim 1 wherein the angle α is in the range of 18 degrees and 26 degrees.
 6. A drinking vessel comprising: a body having a generally barrel shape and having a bottom, a belly and top; an elliptical opening at the top of the body formed along a plane extending at an angle α from a line extending from a front point parallel to the bottom, to a back point of the body; and wherein the diameter of the vessel at the belly exceeds the diameter of the bottom and the diameter of the vessel at the line extending from the front point of the body parallel to the bottom.
 7. A drinking vessel as in claim 6 wherein the vessel is made of glass.
 8. A drinking vessel as in claim 6 wherein the vessel is made of a ceramic.
 9. A drinking vessel as in claim 8 wherein a handle is affixed along one side of the body.
 10. A drinking vessel as in claim 6 wherein the angle α is approximately 20 degrees.
 11. A drinking vessel as in claim 6 wherein the angle α is approximately 24 degrees.
 12. A drinking vessel as in claim 6 wherein the angle α is in the range of 18 degrees and 26 degrees.
 13. A drinking vessel as in claim 7 wherein a stem extends from the bottom of the vessel.
 14. A drinking vessel comprising: a barrel-shaped body having a bottom, a belly and top and having a front and back; an opening at the top of the body extending upwardly along a plane from the front of the body to the back of the body at an angle α relative to a line parallel to the bottom of the body; and wherein the diameter of the body at the belly exceeds the diameter of the bottom of the body and exceeds the diameter at the top of the body along a line extending from the front of the body parallel to the bottom.
 15. A drinking vessel as in claim 14 wherein the vessel is made of glass.
 16. A drinking vessel as in claim 14 wherein the vessel is made of a ceramic.
 17. A drinking vessel as in claim 16 where a handle is affixed along one side of the body.
 18. A drinking vessel as in claim 14 wherein the angle α is approximately 20 degrees.
 19. A coffee cup as in claim 14 wherein the angle α is approximately 24 degrees.
 20. A coffee cup as in claim 14 wherein the angle α is in the range of 18 degrees and 26 degrees.
 21. A drinking vessel as in claim 15 wherein a stem extends from the bottom of the vessel. 